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Celeste

Visa Dining Collection

$31 to $50

Peruvian

21 Bow St, Somerville, MA 02143-2933

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 9, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 22 times today

Neighborhood gem
Great for creative cocktails
Charming

It’ll be hard to find a restaurant as welcoming and lovely as Celeste. The Union Square spot feels like a party hosted by your very cool artsy friends, who just happen to make the best ceviche in town. Every dish here is tantalizing—throw in pisco-heavy drinks and a psychedelic cumbia playlist, and you’re in for the very best of Andean culture.
Recently included in The New York Times Best restaurants in Boston, Chef JuanMa and co-owner Maria Rondeau have been nominated for James Beard Best New Restaurant Semi-Finalist, Esquire's Best Restaurants in America, and Eater's Best Restaurant in Boston.

Why they're an Icon

From the OpenTable editors: Somerville has stellar Peruvian restaurants, but Celeste has always stood out from the crowd; Eater Boston named it restaurant of the year when it opened in 2018. That's because chef and owner JuanMa Calderon is recreating the recipes he learned from his mother and grandmother in a cozy and sleek space that will make you feel like you're eating in Calderon and his partner Maria Rondeau's home. You can expect some of the best ceviches in the city, the Andean stew carapulcra with pork and chicken, and colorful cocktails that celebrate Peruvian spirits and drinks like pisco and chicha.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Peruvian, Home cooking, Seafood
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(617) 616-5319
Website
https://celesteunionsquare.com/
Dress code
Business Casual

Location
21 Bow St, Somerville, MA 02143-2933
Neighborhood
Somerville
Parking details
None

seco de cordero con frijoles $28.00
cilantro lamb stew + creamed canary beans with rice
sudado de pescado o berenjena
steamed fish or eggplant Peruvian-Chinese style with rice
- -$26.00
- -$23.00
locro (+ pescado frito + 7) $23.00
black mint. squash, Java beans + potato stew with rice
camar6n al ajillo$27.00
shrimp scampi Peruvian style with rice
scallops con pasta a la huancaina $29.00
seared scallops with fresh squid ink fettuccine + huancaina
lomo saltado$28.00
stir-fried sirloin beef (8oz), tomato, onion, soy with rice
tacu tacu a lo macho (o de verduras) (+ pescado frito +7)
carapulcra $26.00
/neon stew with potato, chicken, pork, peanuts + Porto with rice

SIDE

frijoles canarios** $6.00
creamed canary beans

DESSERTS

suspiro limei'lo / dulce de leche custard $12.00
suspiro limei'lo / dulce de leche custard (gf,d) mousse de lucuma / lucuma: Peruvian native tree fruit $11.00

gf option: please inform your server to make necessary adjustments/ gt: gluten free / g: gluten / d: dairy / v: vegan /veg: vegetarian

* consuming raw meats. poultry, seafood, shellfish may increase risk of foodborne illness before placing order, please Inform your server of any food allergies

please note: 20% gratuity applied to tables of four or more

please note: 3% kitchen appreciation fee applied to checks. graclas for your support

What 69 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.5Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Celeste offers "fantastic" Peruvian cuisine with "unique" flavors and "perfect" pisco sours. The "ceviche" is a standout, alongside the "tacu tacu" and "lomo saltado." Patrons enjoy the "intimate" setting and "attentive" service. While seating is limited and some find it "overpriced," this "must-try" spot delivers a "delightful" dining experience.

69 Reviews

R
Richard
Washington DC1 review
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food as always good, the passion drink was too spicy (my taste), service 10/10. Love this place, lomo saltado was delicious and the lamb too.
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A
Alexandra
Unspecified1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food was incredible and a lot of unique flavors and such large portions that we were able to take some home. We ordered a mix of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes and all of them were fantastic. My only complaints are that the benches are not very comfortable and that there should be a mirror inside the bathroom. Otherwise, the cute boutique restaurant is a must try and I will definitely return.
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T
Tom
Charleston1 review
5.0
Dined on April 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love Celeste. The food is deliceous and unique. Mixed seafood ceviche is some of the best I have ever had. Also loved the tacu tacu a lo macho. So good. And the Pisco Sours were perfect. Sit at the bar - it's fun!
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p
patrick
Philadelphia7 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 30, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food; great service! Ceviche was perfect and entrees were flawless. I have a sweet tooth so the highlight for me was the dessert - mousse de lucuma. I had never had this before and will definitely look for it again. Sublime.
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J
Jack
Indiana2 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 30, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Excellent cocktails, with a small but diverse menu. Some of the best seafood I’ve hard in Boston.
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M
Mary Frances
Greater Boston5 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best dining out experience! The staff was so friendly and the food was out of this world.
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M
Megan
Greater Boston1 review
5.0
Dined on March 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
If you are in Somerville you have to go to Celeste. Their unique and flavorful dishes were spectacular. It’s a must try!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Denver1 review
1.0
Dined on March 14, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
Very loud, over priced, poor service, sub par food. Extremely loud music
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City2 reviews
1.0
Dined on March 13, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 5
Not good for vegetarians at all. Do not recommend.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston3 reviews
4.0
Dined on March 1, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The drinks were outstanding. The food was good not great. For two of us drinks, apps, entree and one dessert $200 with tip. Service was very good. I had no idea the restaurant only seats 20. If you’re seated at the bar as we were every time someone comes or goes the Arctic air blasts you.
1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Celeste is rated 4.7 stars by 69 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 9, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 22 times today

21 Bow St, Somerville, MA 02143-2933

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
Somerville
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Peruvian, Home cooking, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None

Website
https://celesteunionsquare.com/
Phone number
(617) 616-5319

Celeste

Make a reservation

Why they're an Icon

Dining areas

Additional information

DEL MAR

ceviche de blue cod* $21.00

ceviche mixed seafood (blue cod, squid and shrimp)*$22.00

ceviche de palm and artichoke hearts$18.00

ceviche de shrimp y mango with maracuya infusion $19.00

APPETIZER SPECIALS

pupusa de camar6n y queso + camarones$16.00

yuquitas rellenas de verduras* $15.00

CAUSAS / spicy potato terrine

causa de avocado and tomato $15.00

causa de tuna tartare*** $18.00

causa de shrimp $16.00

SALADS

arugula salad with salsa criolla (lime, onion, tomato)$12.00

arugula salad with lime/parmesan$13.00

ENTREES

seco de cordero con frijoles $28.00

sudado de pescado o berenjena

locro (+ pescado frito + 7) $23.00

camar6n al ajillo$27.00

scallops con pasta a la huancaina $29.00

lomo saltado$28.00

tacu tacu a lo macho (o de verduras) (+ pescado frito +7)

carapulcra $26.00

SIDE

frijoles canarios** $6.00

DESSERTS

suspiro limei'lo / dulce de leche custard $12.00

suspiro limei'lo / dulce de leche custard (gf,d) mousse de lucuma / lucuma: Peruvian native tree fruit $11.00

gf option: please inform your server to make necessary adjustments/ gt: gluten free / g: gluten / d: dairy / v: vegan /veg: vegetarian

* consuming raw meats. poultry, seafood, shellfish may increase risk of foodborne illness before placing order, please Inform your server of any food allergies

please note: 20% gratuity applied to tables of four or more

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Celeste restaurant rated?

Is Celeste currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information